Magical Backyard Makeovers

Watch the creation of enchanting outdoor spaces on every episode of My Yard Goes Disney.

Open Gallery

64 Photos

A Sense of Wonder

In the tradition of the animated Disney classic Peter Pan, the Galloway family's backyard transformation mixes equal parts pixie-dust charm and swashbuckling adventure. The fantastical new play space conjures up visions of enchanted forests and pirate ships, and is certain to provide hours of fun for the Galloway's two children.

A Sense of Wonder

Using a decommissioned sailboat, the HGTV design team creates a play space in the form of an incredibly detailed pirate ship complete with gang-plank, sails and plenty of spooky touches. Blue hydrangeas planted around the ship create the illusion of water.

A Sense of Wonder

Before: A rusted chain link fence and gate was the view from the sidewalk next to the Galloway's backyard.

A Sense of Wonder

After: The design team blends pirate themes with fairy-tale adventure and draws inspiration from the cruise ship Disney Fantasy where the Galloways recently enjoyed a family vacation.

A Sense of Wonder

After: A crowning feature in the Galloway's backyard makeover is a giant lily-pad splash area.

A Sense of Wonder

Before: Here's another look at the Galloway backyard before the transformation.

A Sense of Wonder

After: Next to the pirate ship is Tinkerbell's "Pixie Hollow," a nature-inspired play space anchored by an amazing fantasy playhouse.

A Sense of Wonder

A handpainted sign and birdhouse that mimics the fantasy playhouse offer warm welcome to friends and visitors to Pixie Hollow.

Crazy for Cars

For the Richeson family's backyard transformation, HGTV's design team takes its cues from the Radiator Springs racetrack in the Disney animated adventure Cars and from Carsland feature at Disney's California Adventure Park. Here host Brandon Johnson helps rev up the engines with dad (Daniel), mom (Melissa) and sons Isaac and Caleb.

Crazy for Cars

Before: Homeowners Daniel and Melissa Richeson have a large backyard at their Merritt Island, Fla. home, but the yard is filled with weeds and bare spots. The Richeson's hope is for a low-maintenance yard that will also provide plenty fun for the kids.

Crazy for Cars

After: The newly transformed backyard features a Carsland-themed race track and, at it's center, a 16-foot splash pad with fountains shaped like cacti and a rock geyser.

Crazy for Cars

Before: The Richeson's yard offers plenty of space but little to look at but a bare fence and weed-filled lawn.

Crazy for Cars

After: The design team made full use of the Carsland theme for the backyard makeover. In addition to a track wide enough for two kids to race their miniature Formula racers, the yard's perimeter is lined with replica vintage billboards highlighting places where the family has lived. The landscaping features low-maintenance plants that require little watering or special care.

Crazy for Cars

Daniel Richeson works for a non-profit water network that provides clean drinking water by digging wells all over the world. The design team continued with the '50s-era graphic motif when they created this billboard promoting "Richeson Springs."

Crazy for Cars

In an homage to "old Florida", and in keeping with the retro theme, this hand-painted sign offers a pastiche of the roadside fruit and souvenir stands that were once common fixtures in the Sunshine State.

Out-of-This-World Backyard Makeover

HGTV's design team searched the country for a family with plenty of Disney spirit and found one in the Browns of New Jersey. For their backyard makeover, the HGTV crew turned the Browns' backyard into a playground inspired by Disney Hollywood Studio's Toy Story Mania. Here, Heather and Aaron Brown, along with My Yard Goes Disney host Brandon Johnson, blast off in their new Toy Story rocket capsule.

Out-of-This-World Backyard Makeover

Before: The Brown family's backyard is about as plain as they come, with plenty of space but lacking in any sense of playfulness or kid-friendly features.

Out-of-This-World Backyard Makeover

After: The transformed space at the Brown family home is filled with all the ingredients for a great Disney backyard. New additions include a colorful blue patio and kid-sized picnic tables, an artificial turf surface that's ideal for sports, a barn filled with toys and a Buzz Lightyear-style space capsule.

Out-of-This-World Backyard Makeover

Before: The back of the Brown family's house is bare, sans patio or deck, and lacking in any real personality.

Out-of-This-World Backyard Makeover

After: What was once a boring backyard is now filled with color and excitement. The new patio is large enough for pizza parties and comes with a built-in pizza maker. With its brightly colored furnishings and contemporary kitchen accessories, the new patio space is meant to conjure up the Pizza Planet diner featured in Disney's Toy Story.

Out-of-This-World Backyard Makeover

The interior of the Toy Story-inspired space capsule is roomy enough for the whole family and is equipped with colored lights, portholes and futuristic furniture. Operating "special effects" include an exhaust port that emits real steam, a built-in fan for wind effects and a vibration machine that shakes the craft to simulate a real takeoff. It all works at the touch of a button.

Out-of-This-World Backyard Makeover

Included among the Disney-esque touches are these ring-toss games featuring classic-era Disney characters.

Out-of-This-World Backyard Makeover

If there are doubts about the Brown family's favorite Disney film, or the key inspiration behind this backyard makeover, this grand-scale addition should put those doubts to rest.

Chillin' at the Beach

Before: The Thompson family backyard prior to their My Yard Goes Disney makeover lacked personality. That was about to change in a big way ...

Chillin' at the Beach

After: Inspired by the legend of Blizzard Beach, the Thompsons' yard was transformed by Imagineers into a sun-meets-snow retreat. Just like the water park, the Thompsons' yard features the improbable combinations of snow, sand, ice and water. The yard now has a pool, concession stand patio area, snow castle, sand play area and a sleigh.

Chillin' at the Beach

After: Chekc out the view looking out from the new concession stand onto the patio area in the Thompsons' snow-scape backyard.

Chillin' at the Beach

After: The My Yard Goes Disney crew gave the deep end of the 12,000-gallon pool a floating iceberg bridge with climbing ropes overhead. The shape of the pool is inspired by the melting snow puddle shapes at Disney's Blizzard Beach.

Tropical Transformation

Before: Titus and Emily Green's pool and yard were in sad shape. The decking around the pool was in need of replacement, as was their lackluster patio furniture and landscaping.

Tropical Transformation

After: Inspired by their trip to Disney's Aulani Resort and Spa in Hawaii, the Greens' backyard was transformed with tropical pool fountains, a "surf shop" and a relaxing orchid garden to stroll through.

Tropical Transformation

Ocean Fantasy

Before: The Castros' two young girls love Ariel's Undersea Adventure at Disneyland Resort, but their own backyard has zero magic. That's all about to change, however ...

Ocean Fantasy

After: The Castros can now dive in for a great adventure "under the sea." The My Yard Goes Disney crew has created an underwater playland for the two little mermaids, complete with a new rock slide, a clam shell and much more.

Ocean Fantasy

Ocean Fantasy

After: The underground viewing window lets Mom and Dad watch as their daughters swim and play.

Ocean Fantasy

After: Next to the pool is a huge mural, fashioned after the King Triton mural at Ariel's Undersea Adventure.

Ocean Fantasy

The Castro family's new King Triton mural is inspired by the 86-foot-long hand-painted mural that greets guests when they embark on The Little Mermaid, Ariel's Undersea Adventure.

Ocean Fantasy

After: Plus, the family gets their own Caribbean-style dining area and a clamshell cabana, inspired by Ariel's Undersea Adventure.

Inspired by Epcot

Before: The Trautwein family has a lot of room to roam in this huge backyard, but there isn't much to do. The design team wants to use the family's love of Epcot for inspiration.

Inspired by Epcot

After: The centerpiece of homeowners John and Ileana's transformed yard is a Mickey Mouse-shaped splash pad. The My Yard Goes Disney design team looked toward Epcot for inspiration  the view of the earth from space using blues and greens, the Epcot's Spaceship Earth and the fountains. To the left behind the splash pad is a eucalyptus-and-bamboo playhouse where you climb aboard a space bike and pedal it through the air above the yard.

Inspired by Epcot

A one-of-a-kind attraction, Epcot's Soarin' allows you to discover the beauty of the country as you gently soar over scenic mountains, oceans and open landscapes. The My Yard Goes Disney crew built the Trautweins their own sky chair so they can soar over their new backyard.

Inspired by Epcot

After: At the other end of the Mickey Mouse-shaped splash pad is a science and nature station and an Epcot-inspired greenhouse.

Inspired by Epcot

As the icon of Epcot, Spaceship Earth has inspired many guests as they enter Epcot. With its unique spherical shape and geodesic or triangular surface, the structure inspired HGTV designers to create the unique greenhouse for the Trautwein family.

Inspired by Epcot

After: Homeowner John's love of gardening is taken to a new level with this 22' x 11' geodesic-domed greenhouse featuring a hydroponic growing system.

Nemo's Dream

Before: Dennis and Rebecca's backyard is huge, empty and marshy  and it's that last factor that seems the most daunting. Will a family-backyard-vacation makeover even be possible?

Nemo's Dream

After: What marsh? Dennis and Rebecca's backyard is now a family-vacation paradise. Their kids and friends will love the enormous pool, especially the bridge to an "island" and "coral reef," inspired by Nemo's Reef on the Disney Dream.

Nemo's Dream

One of the design inspirations for this makeover was Nemo's Reef, a water play area with fountains, bubblers and pop jets on the Disney Dream, featuring favorite characters from Finding Nemo.

Nemo's Dream

After: When it's time to leave the pool for shade and refreshments, the adults and kids just have to head to their 12x12' cabana, built to look like it's straight out of Castaway Cay. Part of the beachy look is due to the elevated boardwalk, which accommodates the storm drain.

Backyard Expedition

Before: Jim and Christina Krantz and their three boys love adventure  especially Expedition Everest  but there's not much happening in their backyard, except for this unfinished treehouse.

Backyard Expedition

After:My Yard Goes Disney creates an adventure-themed backyard inspired by the fun at Disney's Animal Kingdom. The Krantz family's unfinished treehouse is turned into basecamp with a kid-friendly climbing net and an amazing zip line that twists and turns around the yard, ending in the new pool ...

Backyard Expedition

... and what a ride it is! Plus, for a wanna-be paleontologist, the backyard gets a new dinosaur digging sand pit.

Backyard Expedition

After: Inside the treehouse, new floor covers, a desk and chairs have replaced the mismatched furniture that used to lay in piles. Plenty of summer adventure awaits.

Backyard Expedition

After: Sleepovers in the Krantz backyard now take on a new level of fun inside the finished treehouse.

Wilderness Campground

Pack up the camping gear and head over to the Monize's place. This lucky family's backyard gets transformed from an open and empty landscape into an outdoor lover's mecca inspired by Disney's Fort Wilderness Campground and Lodge. At night, family and friends can gather to watch their favorite Disney films at an outdoor movie theater. This campground sign converts into a movie screen.

Wilderness Campground

Before: The Monizes provided HGTV's designers with a large canvas to work with. Their massive five-acre backyard offers plenty of space and loads of opportunity.

Wilderness Campground

After: The completed backyard includes a 20-foot splash pool complete with working geyser.

Wilderness Campground

Homeowners Brendon and Mildride Monize, and their two daughters Sulah and Linah, take a leisurely jaunt on their new 1,600-foot-long bike trail.

Wilderness Campground

A vintage-trailer replica, complete with a few Disney touches, is one of the fixtures in the Monize's new campground. It offers the perfect spot for an outdoorsy sleepover.

Wilderness Campground

As the sun dips below the trees, HGTV host Brandon Johnson joins the Monize family as they settle in around the campfire and get ready to make make s'mores at their own backyard campground.

Storybook Ending

Before: The Morales' bare backyard is pure magic waiting to happen. The homeowners' two young daughters adore princesses, and the older daughter has come up with a wish list for the space: a castle and a train set.

Storybook Ending

After: The Morales' daughters have all their princess dreams come true, as HGTV's designers turn one little girl's drawings for a Disney-inspired backyard into a reality. Host Brandon Johnson and the team create a Snow White-style village and add a Cinderella-style dollhouse brought over all the way from England.

Storybook Ending

Before: The rest of the yard is also a blank slate. Here's where the train set should go, says one of the homeowners' daughters.